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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28901766">The Dad Pack</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/writingtothestars/pseuds/writingtothestars'>writingtothestars</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Julie and The Phantoms (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alex Mercer Has Anxiety (Julie and the Phantoms), Alex is anxious but he's trying his best, Alex is the Dad Friend, Gen, Pre-Canon, Vine refrence, six flags, super brief mention of someone getting sick so just a warning for that</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 10:26:23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,320</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28901766</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/writingtothestars/pseuds/writingtothestars</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>To combat the voice in his head that kept insisting that everything would go wrong, Alex had decided to prepare to make sure that everything would go right. Along with the fanny pack he normally wore around his chest, packed full with the things he usually kept in it, he had packed an entire backpack  of things they might need for the  day. No situation that they might find themselves trapped in had been unaccounted for.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>52</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Dad Pack</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I've never actually posted a fanfic before, so I want to apologize in advance because I have no clue what I'm doing.</p><p>I recently requested a fic from whatsyournameman about what Alex keeps in his iconic fanny pack. He wrote a super sweet fic as part of his It's Not Sunset Cis, Either series (which you should go read because it's really good!), and after that we started joking about how Alex is totally the Dad Friend and what he'd be like at a theme park. I had a lot of headcannons about it, so I decided to write this because I thought they were funny. </p><p>TW for Alex's anxiety, and for a super brief reference to someone getting sick on one of the rides, but other than that, I hope you enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>After years of managing his anxiety, Alex had realized that there were certain places in the world that calmed him, as well as places in the world that sent his anxiety levels through the roof. If he had to compile a comprehensive list of Top Ten Places that Alex Would Rather Not Be, theme parks would rank somewhere in the top five.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But after a gig had left the band with some extra cash, it had been agreed that Luke could choose how to spend it in honor of his birthday. And when the words “Six Flags” had left his mouth, Alex couldn’t help but cringe. However slight the movement might have been, his friends noticed it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Luke was quick to backtrack. “We don’t have to. We could always hit up that fancy new restaurant on Sunset Boulevard and get some cake, or something.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was no anger in his voice, but Alex knew that his friend was only conceding because of him. “No, Six Flags sounds great!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure?” Reggie raised an eyebrow. “Because, historically, you hate theme parks.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, when we went on that field trip to SeaWorld in sixth grade, they practically had to drag you into the park,” Luke reminded him. He moved from his seat on the couch so that he was sitting in front of Alex, looking into his eyes. “Dude, it’s okay if you don’t want to go. I promise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As much as Alex trusted his friends, he wasn’t about to ruin Luke’s seventeenth birthday by asking to do something other than the one thing Luke was asking for. “Luke, I’ll be okay.” Then, as an afterthought, “ I promise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But the entire week leading up to Luke’s birthday, Alex’s stomach clenched whenever Six Flags was mentioned. The buzzing in his brain was all too helpful at supplying him with various ideas of everything that could go wrong. Murphy’s Law was a cruel puppeteer, and Alex was helpless when his anxiety decided to help manipulate his strings; the two of them were all too practiced at walking him through every possible scenario, good or bad. (Mostly bad.)</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You do realize that Luke won’t be mad at you for not going, right?” Bobby asked the morning of the trip. It was just the two of them waiting outside Bobby’s car, but he was so busy messing with something under the hood that he didn’t notice how prepared Alex was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex opened the door of the car and slung his backpack into the back seat. “Yeah, I know. But everything will be fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>To combat the voice in his head that kept insisting that everything would go </span>
  <em>
    <span>wrong</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Alex had decided to prepare to make sure that everything would go </span>
  <em>
    <span>right</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Along with the fanny pack he normally wore around his chest, packed full with the things he usually kept in it, he had packed an entire backpack  of things they might need for the  day. No situation that they might find themselves trapped in had been unaccounted for.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Does your Dad Pack have extra guitar picks?” Reggie asked as they waited in the security line outside the park. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. Why would I bring guitar picks, Reg?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What if the mood strikes me and I need to serenade the whole park with  a jaunty little tune?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t even have your guitar,” Alex pointed out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Reggie frowned. “Why wasn’t my guitar important enough to be included in the Dad Pack?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fortunately, they were ushered through the line before he had to answer that question, which Alex considered a stroke of good fortune to start off their day. On the flip side of that, the “Dad Pack” as Reggie had dubbed it, held them up in the security line, which wasn’t as good. He could only hope that it wasn’t some sort of bad omen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they were cleared and set free into the park, Reggie moved to swipe his wristband from Alex and run into the throes of chaos. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whoa!” Alex held the pack of wristbands above his head. “Wait, I think we should make a plan first.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A plan?” Bobby laughed and clapped Alex on the shoulder. “When have we ever done that before?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think we should,” Alex insisted, still holding the wristbands out of Reggie’s reach. There had once been a point when he had felt self conscience of the fact that he was taller than his friends, but he was beginning to realize that his height had its perks. “Let’s make a plan, for once in our lives. Like, do we have an itinerary? Are we splitting up, or are we staying together as a group the entire day? Do we have enough money for the gift shop and lunch, or do we -?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alex,” Luke interrupted. “We’ll figure it out as we go.” He gestured to their bass player. “You might want to go ahead and give Reggie his band before he tackles you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keeping his hand with the bands in the air, Alex reached into his fanny pack and pulled out a small jar of suncream. “Okay, but first he has to agree to put this on.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am not putting that on,” Reggie protested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was  a mild struggle, but everyone received their wristbands with the promise that they would reapply their sunscreen in two hours. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bobby unfurled a map of the park. “So, where do we start, birthday boy?” But Luke and Reggie were already running toward the new Batman ride. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bobby stayed back, falling into step with Alex. “What are you gonna do?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hold everyone’s stuff.” Alex shrugged. “Man the fort.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You sure you don’t want to try one of the rides?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Positive.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is gonna be sick!” Luke exclaimed as they clambered into the line.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re gonna be sick,” Reggie laughed. “If you feel bad on short car rides -” He shuddered. “This isn’t gonna be pretty for you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t understand why you want to get on a rollercoaster so badly, even though you know you’ll get sick.” Bobby frowned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Luke shrugged. “I’m not gonna get sick! And even if I do, that’s just part of the experience.” He glanced at Alex. “You brought, like, an entire first aid kit in your Dad Pack, right? So, I’ll be good.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please don’t call it the ‘Dad Pack.’” Alex begged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why not? It’s a good name. But do you have anything for motion sickness? Because I’m getting on this ride either way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex rummaged through his fanny pack and produced a bottle of motion sickness pills that he handed over with a bottle of water from his backpack. “I came here fully prepared to deal with the consequences of your actions.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Luke popped the pill into his mouth and swallowed. “Thanks, Dad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not -” Alex started to protest as the line moved forward, separating him from his friends. “Okay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A group of men stood near the ride’s exit. Most of them were middle aged, and they were all loaded down with their family’s belongings, like a sad group of pack mules. They all wore the same style of shorts and open-toed sandals, as well as the same disgruntled expression, looking annoyed with the fact that they had been dragged out for a day of fun with their families. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh, God,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Alex thought. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I hope I don’t look that pissed.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Worried that he might, he greeted his friends with the biggest smile he could manage when they got off the ride, breathless, and with goofy smiles plastered to their faces. “How was it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Awesome,” Luke replied, already running toward the next ride. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The band let Luke lead them from ride to ride for most of the day, never tiring of going through the same loops and curves a million times. Alex had to beg them to drink water in between rides, but other than that, he was content to stand and watch them pass by overhead. At one point Reggie insisted that they visit the gift shop, where everyone bought more useless souvenirs then they needed, and Luke insisted that they grab pizza for lunch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you feel okay?” Alex asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m great,” Luke promised, licking some cheese off his thumb.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bobby huffed. “Yeah, well I’m starving. I spent all my cash on a baseball cap and that stupid Wile E Coyote coffee mug.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sucks to suck,” Reggie teased, waving his hotdog under the guitarist's nose.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex unzipped his bag and pulled out the box of granola bars that he had been lucky to get passed security. He slid one across the table to Bobby, who took it gratefully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“See, guys. Alex cares about me. He wouldn’t let me starve to death.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As your designated Dad Friend, he’s legally not allowed to let you starve,” Luke said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The image of the angry dad’s he had been standing near all day flashed through Alex’s mind. Had they rubbed off on him? “I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> the Dad Friend!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dude,” Reggie laughed. “You are</span>
  <em>
    <span> so</span>
  </em>
  <span> the dad friend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Haunted by the thought of being anything like the dads that he knew, Alex allowed himself to be pulled to the Viper ride for the hundredth time. He eyed his fellow dads as he waited. If pitted against them in a competition to see who was the best dad, he felt confident he could beat all of them and their lousy attitudes.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My daughter insisted on coming for her birthday,” one of the dads was telling another dad. “And of course my wife decides that she gets to be the one who has all the fun and goes on the rides with her, while I’m stuck here, blistering in the sun all day. I’m getting tired of having my life run by -”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex moved away from him before he could hear the rest. He shuddered, praying that he wasn’t acting that resentful to his friends, and hoping that if he ever decided to become a dad, he didn’t turn out like any of the examples walking around the park. Or his own father, for that matter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That ride never gets old!” Reggie exclaimed as they came off the ride. “Man, technology really peaked with rollercoasters, huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bobby high fived him in agreement, but Luke stayed quiet. His face was pale, and had taken on a green undertone that Alex had even only seen described in books.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Alex,” he said. “Do you have any more of those motion sickness pills? I -”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Luke didn’t finish his sentence, but he sent all the nearby dad’s in open-toed shoes scrambling.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“I shouldn’t have gone on that many rides,” Luke groaned. He leaned back on the bench, rubbing a hand across his face. He watched Alex rummage through his bag for a cold water bottle. “Thanks for having my back, though. I know this is the last place you want to be -”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s fine,” Alex insisted, trying to distance himself from the mental image of the angry dads for the hundredth time that day. “I’ve had fun today. I’ve learned a lot about Dad Culture and I think I’m getting a nice tan. See?” He held out his arm for Luke’s inspection, painfully aware of the fact that he was rambling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just mean that I know you hate places like this because of your anxiety, and it means a lot to me that you’ve been trying to stick it out for me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex looked up from his backpack, startled by the confession. “I’d do anything for you, Luke. You’re my brother.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Luke smiled. “I know this hasn’t been easy for you, but I’ll make it up to you. On your birthday we’ll do something that’s easier on you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A water bottle appeared at the bottom of Alex’s backpack. It was starting to warm, but it was colder than the others. He handed it to Luke, who pressed it against his forehead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can I ask though?” Alex asked. “Why a theme park? You haven’t been this crazy about them since, like, eighth or ninth grade. None of us ever guessed that this was how you would want to spend the day.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Luke used the water bottle to obscure his face as he looked down, picking at a hole in his jeans. “My parents brought me here for my birthday that year. It’s one of my last good memories with all of us before I got serious about the band and . . . you know the rest.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>None of them had been close to their families for a while, for various reasons. Even though he had never said so, Alex suspected that it was harder for Luke. Before the band had become their top priority, he had always been close with his parents. Losing them couldn’t have been easy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dude, you’re fine.” Luke removed the water bottle from his head and unscrewed the cap, taking a long sip. “I’m making new memories with my family right now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a nice sentiment. It would have been nicer if Bobby and Reggie hadn’t chosen to start a competition to see who could do the best cartwheel, only to crash into each other and knock over a trash can, but it was still a nice moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The sun’s going down,” Bobby noted. “Should we call it, boys?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Luke said with the confidence of someone who had not just puked an hour earlier. “There’s still one more thing I want to do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Get sick again?” Reggie asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I want to ride Revolution again,” Luke insisted. “That ride is legendary in the dark!” He glanced at Alex. “One more ride won’t kill me, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess not,” Alex conceded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Luke hopped up from the bench, a changed man. “Then what are we waiting for?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They trekked back across the park, which was beginning to glow in the darkness that enveloped them. The rides looked different all lit up at night. They could have been beautiful if they weren’t so terrifying.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex stood beside his friends in line, not thrilled with the idea of rejoining the herd of dads waiting at the exit. What would they be like after a full day of complaining? Dads After Dark did not sound like the kind of theme park attraction that Alex wanted to close his day with.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As their group inched forward in the line, Alex stepped out and headed toward the exit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Excuse me!” A hand closed around his arm, drawing him back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex felt his heart rate dial up to a ten. Oh, God, so this was how it would end? He had never pictured himself being accosted in a roller coaster line, but anything was possible.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Excuse me,” a woman said, turning him to face her. “Sorry, it’s just that I’ve seen you and your friends hanging around the park today, and I’ve noticed that you haven’t been able to go on any of the rides.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, no it’s -”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just feel </span>
  <em>
    <span>so bad</span>
  </em>
  <span> that you’re having to miss out on the fun with your friends,” the woman continued. “So my husband has agreed to hold your stuff for you so that you can go on the ride with them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I’m -” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The woman mistook the fear in his voice for a polite refusal. “No, we insist!” She had already managed to take his backpack off him, and she threw it into her husband’s arms as she removed his fanny pack.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, really -”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s fine!” The woman insisted, pushing him forward in the line until he was on the loading platform with his bandmates. “Have fun with your friends!” She gave him a final push, knocking him into Reggie’s back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Reggie turned. “Alex? Hey! Where’s all our stuff?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alex?” Luke and Bobby turned around. “What are you doing here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s been a mistake,” Alex said, turning to leave the platform.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The roller coaster operator stepped into his path, blocking his escape. “Sir, you can’t go this way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I don’t want to get on the ride.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry,” the man said. “But you have to. You can’t exit that way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A band tightened around Alex’s chest. He didn’t want to get onto the ride - he couldn’t get onto the ride. The thought of plummeting and zipping along the tracks in a metal car wasn’t appealing, and he moved that to number one on the Comprehensive List of Top Ten Places that Alex Would Rather Not Be.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Someone’s hand settled on his chest. Luke stepped between Alex and the operator. “Hey, breath with me, okay? It’s gonna be fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can you really just not let him go back?” Bobby asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s gonna be fine,” Luke repeated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re holding up the line,” the operator said. He ushered them into the roller coaster car,  Alex and Luke paired in the car in front of Reggie and Bobby.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So there was one situation that Alex had not been prepared for - being separated from the Dad Pack and being forced onto a ride.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re gonna die,” Alex whispered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ll be fine,” Luke said. “We’re here with you. The odds of dying on one of these things is astronomical, right? We have nothing to worry about.” It was a little reassuring. He probably had a better chance of getting struck by lightning or eaten by a shark.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The operator walked down the side of the car, pulling the lap bar down over him. The band tightened around his chest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Later, Alex couldn’t be sure what came over him, but in his moment of panic he looked at the operator and yelled, “I’ll sue you! Stop the ride right now!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The operator smirked. “Yeah, right.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The  ride took off, chugging up a steep incline. Alex felt a nervous laugh rip through his throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Luke stared at him, surprised. “You having fun already?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No!” He laughed as they dropped around the first curve.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tears filled his eyes as they soared, maybe from the wind, but probably from fear. (Definitely from fear.) He kept laughing through all the drops. Luke stared at him in disbelief the entire time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alex has lost it!” Reggie screamed from behind them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was right. Alex was petrified, but he couldn’t stop laughing like some sort of maniac. He caught his breath when the ride slowed on top of an incline. It felt like he had been on the ride for hours, and miles of track still stretched ahead of them. He could spot a weird bend up ahead -</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s a loop?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Luke said. “You’ll be fine!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuck no!” Alex could feel the band around his chest again, tighter than ever. The loop was getting closer and he had no way out. “We’re gonna die! Fu -”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone else cheered as they flipped upside down. They spiraled back up with a new momentum to carry the ride forward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You made it!” Luke yelled over the wind and the blood pounding in Alex’s ears. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hell yeah!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hell yeah!” Reggie echoed behind them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The rest of the ride was calmer than Alex had expected, and by the time they reached the loading platform, his laughter had taken on a less manic quality and become genuine. It still freaked Luke out, though.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dude, are you sure you’re okay?” he asked after they found the couple that had been holding the Dad Pack.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex nodded. “Luke, I’m fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe it’s just my imagination, but it seemed like someone enjoyed himself,” Reggie noted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Something had changed somewhere along those roller coaster tracks. Instead of thinking about his impending doom, Alex had surrendered to the ride and allowed his laughter to take over. His head was light and his knees were wobbly, but besides the part where he had been sure that he was about to die, he had had fun.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Luke bumped Alex’s shoulder with his own. “So does this mean that you want to go on the ride again?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex laughed as he slung the Dad Pack over his shoulder, his supplies a comforting weight on his back. “Not a chance.” </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>When Alex yells "I'll sue you! Stop the ride!" it was supposed to be a reference to that one Vine that's become iconic throughout the years. Also I've ever only been on a roller coaster like one time, so I just based this off my experience with it lol.</p><p>I hope you enjoyed!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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